Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-30

| caIuccb COuCuIICuCeS 1CSOlVcu W tokc Y
his friends on the morrow, whether b
desired it or not; but others, whose in
| fuence wss unthought of ther
were fated to come into the AFFAIR
OF the young wanderer, for the earl
breakfast had scarcely been partaKen G
next day, when, to the CONSERVATION O
all, there appeared in the farm kitche
the smock-frocked yokel, accompanie
by Corporal Cutters, of the r. W. E.
W. o. Regiment, and rural constable.
The two former had met OF a roadsid
tavern; and the corporal. on hearing tn
| b0or detailing, with much exaggerotiO
and horse Laughter, the episode of tn
| discovery in the loft, and that there Wa
boy and dog in the case, neve
doubted who the wanderer was, and in
| spired by the hope of reward, had fol
lowed the trail at once.
"My eye!" he exclaimed On seem,
Dick; ''you do lock like ghost down Of
it's luck"
snow. what may you want, my man?'
asked Farmer Mopps, pausing with
tarkard in hand.
"Only that ERE young cove" replie'
the corporal, cycling with malice an,
triumph the shrinking Dick.
"Why-and for whst?"
punishment! He has oolted-mizzIe,
deserted the Queens service, that il
all"
ga deserter-this child" exclaimed
the farmers buxom wife, starting up.
"PreciselY. Child-he's one of th,
devils own kind, that's wot he is; and b,
must come along with us-double quick
tool" he added, with q glance of appea
to the tall stolid-visaged constable.
All the children now shrieked ant
yelled, believing that Dick and his dog toe
"Lookee here" said the bluff farmer
81 wasn't none OF your larks, my young
fellow. This is all stuff; or if little
money"
"Money won't do notningr" said the
stripping corporal, adopting bullying
tone; che must 60 into the custody of this
ERE constable till we gets suitable
h'escort 20 Headquarters
"And what may the penalty be for q
boy like this giving you the slip?"
changing, maybe; and too good for
him." said the corporal with a grin, while
the cries of the children were heard again,
to his great delight.
81 want none OF your chat, you young
cad!" said the farmer, assuming his hat
and ample great coat. "Where is the
boy to go to?" he asked, turning to the
constable.
"Back to Woodstock, sir. It must be,
as the corporal says it,"
Dicks heart sank He thought of Mr..
Pugwash, and Pugwssh only.
"John," cried the farmers wife, shave
the horse put to the dog-cart, 60 back
with the boy to the town, and see an END
of this folly-for folly it must be-" she
added, with 8 hostile glance at Cutters.
So in ten minutes more Dick found
ably tucked up in a warm rug, being
bowled back through the keen frosty air
to Woodstock, with Bingo between his
knees and the corporal and constable
seated behind him-s proximity to the
civil power by no means to the taste Of
the Whitechspel warrior Farmer Mopps
drove rapidly and Dick soon saw the
tower Of the old Chantry Church, and
heard it's pretty peal of bells-ssw again
the streets, the town hall with it's piazza,
and the place from which he had effected
mis- escape, as it seemed now in vain.
Now Dick had heard of terrible things
being done to deserters-and he wasIone.
he might be shot perhaps-blown from a
gun. What had he not read of in the
tales of war and terror published for the
behoof Of boys?
lie had seen an engraving-who has not
seen it?-of deserter who declined to
have his eyes blind folded, on one knee
before dreadful platoon Of musketrY,
with his dog rearing against him, to be
shot also-just as Bingo would do in that
moment; and Dick almost wept
as he thought of his own demise in this
fashion, before q squad of the r W. z. L.
W. o. commanded by the memorable Cor
poral Cutters.
But few things in this world happen
exactly in the way we expect them
to do.
The farmer asked to see Justice of
the peace. He was told that one was
sitting in court now-Pugwash, as Dicks
"prophetic soul'' feared-and be was
lugged, rather than conducted, by the
Corporal into the justice room sgain, and
lifting up his eyes to the dreaded bench,
looking soapboiler in the central chair
euCASOIS out tnC SehtlCAuabiy pICocuSS1
sueve and pleasant face Of Sir Brisco
with his bushy eyebrows
and snow-white mustache.
"Dick!" he exclaimed, "Dick Talbot
what the deuce is this? Where is the
charge et-what is the matter?
Where have you been hiding yourself ell
this time, you young rosue?"
For days and nights Dick had never
had his clothes Off, and their sodden
aspect gave him rather deplorable look
just then.
His story was soon told.
"Leave the matter to me-" said the
BsrOnet. "Corporal, you msy co.. but
send here Sergeant Rawksley. shall ar
range all this"
And so /, was duly arranged by the In
fluence, advice and money of Sir Brisco;
and instead of being handed over, as he
feared, to the tender mercies
( Corporal Albert Edward Gut
tiers, Dick found himself being
driven honeward that evening in the we'll
hung carriage Of the friendly baronet,
who laughed heartily at all his adventures
and the present end OF his visions of mil
itary glory.
Great was the joy of Melanie at the
sudden restoration of the wanderer, her
''lost boy" as she called him; but this
new debt of gratitude to Sir Brisco Bray
brooke was source of perplexitT to her,
Iessened, however, just then blythe for
IN ate absence of her uncle, VINO would
have made it reason for indulgipg in
his usual tauuts, advice and the urgence
af hia matrimonial views and wishes